Smell- The barrel aging from a Jack Daniels oak cask does wonders for the nose... vanilla, wood, and the sour mash itself comes forth giving incredible dimension to the familiar doppelbock aromas of caramel and toffee.

Taste- A seamless balance of malt and the oak barrel influences... rich, toffee-like flavors accent the creamy vanilla and bourbon... alcohol is played way down, even better than the bottle-conditioned 2005 edition. Delicious and savory.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Impossibly easy carbonation helps this beer glide into the mouth and swell just enough to emphasize all of the flavors... creamy and semi-slick, effortless to drink. If you ever have the opportunity, don't miss this one.

thanks to yelterdow for the hospitality... and the beer, but goddamn your son cries too much :)

eyes...
nice head, a touch off white, good microbubbles on top of the brew in a row, dark beer of course but not totally opaque. lacing is OK, this has more "legs" than lacing due to the ABV. looks good in the snifter but nothing special.

nose...
if this was put before me blindfolded I would swear it was jack daniels. the sour mash is THAT dominant. at first it was the ONLY odor detectable but later on as this warmed you got the nice dopplebock depth in terms of dark notes. Vanilla? dan, wtf? are you high? I didn't get any vanilla at all. The bourbon bomb was dominant but as this warmed you got more of the dark roast flavor and some cocoa. unlike the regular version of this brew no alchol was really prevalent in the nose. The nose was almost one dimensional but since this is a "take" on the style it was really nice.

taste etc...
mouthfeel is superb, it is slick, coating and full. the carbonation is spot on. Unlike the nose the taste is so balanced it is crazy. The JD barrels have added a drying component that makes this an excellent sipper. I personally don't like sweet DBs so this is great. The alcohol heat in the original batch is masked awesomely here. I found the regular Smut to be harsh, this wasn't at all.... although a definite sipper in a snifter. The aftertaste was fascinating, a trip through JD and oakish flavors. This beer has definitely mellowed over the year to it's merit. In review this beer is tied together so well by the JD flavor. The sour JD mash brings out the qualities I love in DBs without all crazy malt over sweetness. maybe not good for "true" DB lovers but for me this is spot on.

verdict?
oh hell yes. great beer... in a snifter as a nightcap amongst friends. I am thrilled I was able to try it, way better than the standard bottle version.

Flavors of vanilla...caramel malt...chocolate...a wininess with some plummy tastes, yet crisp and dry, the oakiness dominates in an extremely long smoky, woody finish...meat? Wow this would be amazing with a grilled steak. There's an herbal cola/root beer quality and a creamy mouthfeel going on here. Rich and complex but dry and delicious. Wonderful stuff, I am so happy I had the good fortune to enjoy here in Brooklyn.

Thanks to yelterdow for sharing this one (do I sense a theme here?). Served at just below room temperature in a nice Ayinger Celebrator glass.

A - Crystal clear straight brown color with a tight, micro-bubbled ivory head that stays lofty and creamy, never exposing the beer beneath.

S - The biggest thing that this beer has in the nose is the Jack Daniel's Whiskey. As it hit room temperature, there were indeed notes of sweet caramel maltiness and some shadowy notes of vanillin. A very interesting and pleasant nose for a dopplebock, even though it doesn't display all of the "usual" associated scents.

T - Very interesting... the sweetness from the smell doesn't make it very far into the taste at all. Starts out with a quick breeze of caramel sweetness that is soon replaced by the big JD sour-mash notes and a mild, tart yeastiness at the back of the tongue. The alcohol is noticeable, but nicely subdued. Aftertaste is medium dry and leaves you with a pleasant warmth.

M - Super creamy. The carbonation grows, but remains consistent and velvety with tiny bubbles. Swallow is a wash of cream and flavor. Excellent.

D - Quite good as an end-of-day treat, and an excellent take on the style. Very drinkable but watch out... despite its wonderful balance it's still a big beer.